On July 10th, Microsoft finally launched the legendary cheap Surface Tablet, which Microsoft claims to be the smallest, thinnest and most affordable Surface ever. It supports the full Windows operating system and is available for sale from $399. It is of the order of magnitude and high efficiency and can be used by more people. The key is that this is a new device that Microsoft is launching for the education market. Microsoft hopes to provide students with new and versatile learning tools with amazing value and excellent experience.
Obviously, Microsoft Surface Go was born to compete directly with Apple's sixth-generation iPad. So now the question is, can the Surface Go become a qualified competitor to the new 9.7-inch iPad in 2018? Or is Surface Go an iPad 6 killer?
iPad 6 screen is clearer and Surface Go is better
First, starting with some basic product specifications and features. First, the most important is the display screen. Microsoft is equipped with a 10 inch PixelSense display screen for Surface Go, with a resolution of 1800 x 1200 pixels (217 PPI), a width to height ratio of 3:2. and a 9.7 inch Retina retina display screen for the sixth generation of apple, and a little smaller, But the resolution is 2048 x 1536 pixels (264 PPI).
However, if it is only for the education market, as long as it can meet the students' basic writing notes and drawings, it is equivalent to providing a more friendly experience, professional level is not in the discussion of "cheap" equipment.
The Surface Go and the 6th generation iPad are both ultra-portable tablet PCs. The former is made to be more rounded for more portable, but the whole machine is still longer (245mm than 240mm) and wider than the 6th generation iPad ( 175mm is 169.5mm), thicker (8.30mm than 7.5mm), and heavier (522g than 469g), so Apple's sixth-generation iPad is dominant in portability, but it is not a big advantage, after all, small 0.3 inches.
Performance conversion experience software combined with the iPad 6 is always better
In terms of processing performance, Surface Go is not necessarily a better choice. This device does not have a powerful Core processor, but chose the lower-end Intel 7th generation Kaby Lake Pentium Gold processor 4415Y, but the performance of the Windows 10 operating system is also perfect. Of course, the tablet is pre-installed with the Windows 10 S version by default, and users can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free.
The sixth-generation iPad is powered by the Apple A10 Fusion chip, which is a quad-core processor. Geekbench runs in a performance comparable to the Skylake architecture's Y-based entry-level Core i7 ultra-low-power chip, which comes standard with only 2GB of memory. However, Apple's best thing is that it can improve performance through hardware and software optimization, and the app is strictly controlled and efficient, which can keep iOS devices flowing smoothly with low memory.
Large storage of Surface Go wins and camera functions have their own advantages
In terms of storage capacity, the Surface Go memory and storage capacity can be up to 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD solid state drive. Even if you choose the 64GB eMMC version or 128GB SSD, you can still increase the storage space through the microSD card slot.
In addition to the camera, the camera's native quality is quite common in both devices. The Surface Go and the sixth-generation iPad are equipped with an 8 megapixel camera on the back and a 5 megapixel camera on the front. Functionally, Microsoft provides Windows Hello for front-facing cameras for identity authentication, while Apple provides an AR augmented reality experience for rear-facing cameras. Its identity is primarily Touch ID fingerprint sensors.
For the interface, the Surface Go highlights the USB Type-C 3.1 interface, which also supports data transfer and charging, and an additional Surface Connect port for connecting extended peripherals, but also supports charging. However, Surface Go is not compatible with other Surface products, because Surface Go itself is smaller than all previous products, so the accessories are all redesigned, but the price is not cheap, and there are few keyboards to fit.
Blazing "cheap" results or iPad 6 is cheaper
Price is the most important factor that everyone cares about at the same time. Surface Go is currently not available in China. It is expected to be available on or after August 2nd, so there is only a US version of the offer, the official initial price is $399, the top version is over $800, and the accessories are available for purchase. Go special keyboard cover, Surface Mobile mouse, Surface Dial and Surface Pen will also be available at the end of this year.
Cheap Surface Go still can't stop cheap iPad
To be honest, Microsoft has not tried cheap Surface products in the past. It can even be said that Surface Go is the third attempt. For the first time, Microsoft was a completely failed Surface RT, and the second time was a well-regulated Surface 3 tablet with an Atom chip. This time, the biggest highlight of Surface Go is that it can run the full version of the Windows operating system, using x86 application accessibility, allowing users to use the device like a normal PC.
With this in mind, Apple's sixth-generation iPad is definitely worth it, which is not to say that the iPad's hardware specifications are stronger, but because almost all apps that the iPad Pro can run, the iPad 6 can run easily, only when it is running. A small number of applications with higher graphics processing performance have a discounted efficiency, and most of the rest of the time can ensure that the production efficiency of basic tasks is not affected.
Of course, the difference between system software is still critical. Windows itself is not bad, and it has always been the best in productivity, but hardware matching is very important. At the same time, Windows is not a touch-screen-centric system. It needs to be adapted to the Time Go tablet. It is not as easy to use as a Windows laptop. In contrast, the Apple iPad is an excellent and extremely easy-to-use tool. Its high-quality touch experience and unified ecology make users really feel that this is a tablet that can do a lot of things.
To be honest, if Surface Go is positioned as a "cheap industrial tablet," it seems to be more meaningful than the education market. Think about it, Windows has the advantage of a powerful enterprise application that can be easily integrated into the business environment to serve corporate conversations, while the Surface Go is portable enough, fanless and dustproof, and with a strong protective cover to adapt to certain harsh environments. Coupled with enterprise-protected Windows Hello and TPM 2.0 features, it may be a better choice to take it to the site, manage the factory, and record survey data.
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